Shirdi Airport Project Details

MADC in talks with NRIs in Dubai for charter flights - By Krupa Vora | Mumbai

Monday, August 13, 2007, 10:00 Hrs [IST]

Air Deccan, Jet Airways and Indian are likely to add Shirdi to their route networks as the airport gears up for operations, starting 2009. Shirdi is poised to have daily flights from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. Subsequently, charter flights from the Middle East region will be initiated at the airport owing to the huge demand from visitors. Group of NRIs based in Dubai is seeking to start charter operations to Shirdi. But, initially charters will be permitted to land once a week. Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) will soon be initiating talks with the Bureau of Immigration Services and Ministry of Home Affairs for arrangement of immigration facilities at the airport.

"Initially, we are targeting a minimum of 10 flights a day. On a daily basis, Shirdi receives about 6,000 to 8,000 visitors, while the traffic on Thursday and Sunday increases to about 12,000 visitors," informs R C Sinha, Chairman and Managing Director, MADC. The land identified to construct the airport by MADC is 500 hectares, with a well-connected road network of about 13-14 kilometers from the famous shrine of Sai Baba. Investment for the airport project is between Rs 80 to Rs 100 crore. The airport will have a single airstrip of 3,200 meters in length by 45 meters in width, well equipped with night landing facilities and will be able to accommodate small aircraft. MADC will also concentrate on non-aviation income, where it will focus on developing four-star hotels, restaurants, shopping facilities, as well as transport facilities. In terms of transport services, MADC is planning to give locals displaced by the project, an opportunity to start taxi services. Initially, the airport will be managed by MADC and a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model may be considered later once the airport registers a profit.

Land for Shirdi Airport, which is to be developed by Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) has been identified at Kakdi village about 15 kms. from the Sai Baba shrine in Shirdi. MADC will develop the airport, which received approval from the Government of Maharashtra in June this year, under an unique model, whereby it will set up a trust, ‘Shri Sai Baba Airport Charitable Trust’ (SSBACT).

SSBACT will give MADC the rights to manage the airport once the airport is operational. The development of the airport will incur an investment of Rs 200 crore and is expected to begin operations by March 2011.

The SSBACT will have nine members comprising seven government officials and two private players. The government officials will include the Collector of Ahmednagar, Commissioner of Nashik, CEO of Sai Baba Temple Charitable Trust and heads of the various trade associations of Maharashtra. “The trust will be formed by the end of this month and the work on the airport will begin once the trust is formed,” informed R C Sinha, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC).

Acquisition of around 400 hectares of land needed for the airport will soon be started by the Ahmednagar Collector. For now, Aurangabad, 144 kilometres, or 90 miles away, remains the nearest airport.

As soon as the airport starts its operations, SSBACT will give MADC the rights to manage the airport. According to MADC sources, the work on the airport will start after the formation of the trust; it will be formed by the end of September 2008.

Interestingly, the trust can accept donations from the devotees and donor can benefit through tax exemptions. “We are currently awaiting approvals from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Ministry of Defence. We will soon invite consultants for the airport design,” added Sinha.

The airport will be highly useful and give a boost to Shirdi, a popular pilgrim destination in the state. Shirdi receives close to 10,000 devotees on a daily basis and close to 15,000 to 20,000 devotees on Thursdays and Sundays. The airport will have a single airstrip of 3,200 metres in length by 45 metres in width, well equipped with night landing facilities and will be able to accommodate small aircraft. Plans are also afoot to start charter flights to Shirdi once the airport is operational.

Kingfisher Airlines offers an all inclusive fare for travel from Mumbai to Nashik

Thursday, February 05, 2009, 16:00 Hrs [IST]

By TBM Staff | Mumbai

Kingfisher Airlines has come up with a value proposition for travellers for its Mumbai-Nashik flights. The airline is offering an all inclusive fares starting at Rs 885 for travel from Nashik to Mumbai and Rs 883 from Mumbai to Nashik. Passengers can now avail these ‘Value fares’ by planning their travel in advance. According to a report in Business Wire India, the flight will leave Mumbai Airport at 5:50 am and arrive at Nashik at 6:40 am. The return flight will leave Nashik at 4:30 pm and arrive at Mumbai at 5:20 pm. Passengers from Nashik can now get onward connections to Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and London from Mumbai and it is now possible for Mumbai based passengers to visit Shirdi and return on the same day.

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